PIP Renewal Result...just went from top level to zero.

Some medical evidence says how your symtoms are affecting you, however it doesn't tell them how your symtoms affect you when you try a certain descriptor. Most medical evidence for this reason is useless and most of the time is not even considered by assessors.

The best overall evidence for PIP is ideally writing an A4 sheet for each descriptor detailing what happens when you try it, and what the consquences were when you attempted it. Also having witness statements of anyone who has helped you or say your struggle when you tried to do the activity. You need to write clear real world examples of what happens when you attempt a descriptor.

Also diagnosis isn't evidence for PIP.

They tend to briefly look through your application before the telephone appointment, but most of the time they have already made up their decision before they phone and just ask certain questions to clarify their thinking.

If you do what were suggesting above, and do an a4 sheet of paper full of details on how things affect you, and witness statements its hard for them to oppose and most of the time if you have enough evidence they don't even call you.

I have paper assessments and no phone calls each time now, and they just go of the statements and evidence I send them.

I forgot to mention as well, make sure you write your name and NI Number on each paper and I sign them.

The next stage is an MR, don't phone pip and request an MR. You should do this in writing and follow the steps above and send your own evidence and witness statements. There is no guarentee that if you do a MR on the phone that the person writes down all the information and evidence you give them.

Emotional support animals arn't really recognised in the UK, But I do agree they tend to try catch you out alot. Its like their training is based on thinking everyone is lying or putting it on and you get bonus points for catching someone out or removing an award from someone.

The whole benefit system at the moment is messed up. Originally it took me 5/6 years to eventually get the courage to apply for PIP as the stress of it all, the horror stories and assessments put me off. At this rate they might as well hook everyone up to a lie detector test while someone shouts questions at you. It was one of the most stressful and still is one of the most stressful things in my life.

Hi VadaLoca, first of all I would like to thank you for coming to SCOPE and being able to talk about your experiences, since most here can only sympertise with you, probably have gone through a similar experience.

I was about to make a comment as to your post as I do read the responses to every post since in order to go forward as a Team and as a member of Scope like you joining 'our gang' it only reitterates our fight to get benefits back when they are denighed by either the assessment provider or the Decision Maker who has the final say as to what is done to your file.

Responses are varied here and are in good faith of their own experiences of the system, but others like admin and the group they form to fight benefits on your behalf is not just about one case but the Recodnition that Long tertm and Neurodiversant people have when one system says you are sick or disabled and another system say you are not and force you to jump through hoops in order to get benefits nyou are entitled to.

I have been with Scope for many years and have also fought battles with the system as a Claimant, a Representative, and as an appointtee. ALL, different hats but with the same objective to get a fair assessment for the claim for benefits.

If the NHS and their staff which include Doctors, Nurses, Admin, Physeotherepy, scans and Xrays, surgeons, and the list grows as I write including the cleaning staff and the canteen Staff can run under the contracts laid out in the NHS contracts which allow allm staff to be registered on a British Medical Register (under NMC, Doctors or professional Helath professionals) and lets be fair each of the people the NHS use has a skill, and it would not be very professional if you used the toilets in the hospital and it would be safer to go out side and dig a hole in the ground that use the toilet seats.

With this safe gaurd why have we allowed private Medical Care to remove people from the NHS Register and jump the queue for Operations when the original diagnosis came from the NHS, who by the way when going abroad and having an operation because you can, would allow you to rectify the operation on the very NHS list you were taken off and allowed to go private?

My point: Passed in the Senedd in Wales was the 2107 Mental Health Act, that is now being questioned in the Senedd in Wales as to the reason why Decision Makers like the one you had do not supply the correct supporting documents to support the claim for refusal. It also applies to the ASSESSMENT PROVIDERS and there are strict rules as to the use of CANDOUR.

You do not need to know the legal side of all the jargon used, but I would love to know the decision maker in the first instance, and also the one that reinstated your claim and to know whether she has sent you a hard copy of the reason for the changes, and the dates they will start from including the end date, if there is one. Since under this ruling which has been changed over the many years they can still give a life time certificate but will state ONLY FOR ADMIN PURPOSES WILL YOU BE CONTACTED TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE STILL GETTING THE CORRECT LEVEL OF PAYMENTS. It is not to reassess you unless within that time a new cancer drug has been found to treat you and in a trial if you use it and it give the all clear, the benefit may change slightly because depending on the affects to the system may still require support or treatment.

As information to all the system of assessment has not changed, what has changed is the ADMIMISTRATION OF THE ASSESSMENT AND THE FINDINGS. My advice to all is send in your support letters and any treatment you have had or will get from your doctors and nurses which is on HEADED PAPER, and you medical history to follow once the Decision Maker or any one he hires can prove that they are aloso registered on a British medical register, AND THAT THE ASSESSOR IS A PRACTICING MEDICAL PRACTITIONER ON THE DAY OF THE ASSESSMENT. That is what the LAW States. The reluctance of people toask either the assessor or the decision maker questions makes me at a loss. As for not allowing someone to speak on your behalf, is also incorrect as it states this at the form filling stages and at the charters and acts set out in LAW.

The second assessor has done the correct thing since medical evidence on headed paper always gazumps an opinion because that is what they are giving unsupported.

Contact admin if and when you actuall receive your decision letter to maken sure that the evidence you supplied and the reason for the changes are shown, for future reference. Verbal confirmation is not worth the paper it written on.